Definition

Crouzon syndrome is a genetic disorder. It results in abnormal joining of the bones in the skull and face.

Infants have sutures between the bones in the face and skull. As an infant’s brain grows, these sutures allow the skull to expand. These sutures fuse together by adulthood when the skull and brain stop growing.

In Crouzon syndrome, the bones in the skull and face fuse too early. The skull is then forced to grow in the direction of the remaining open sutures. This causes an abnormally shaped head, face, and teeth.

Normal Open Sutures in Infant Skull (Pink)

Causes

Crouzon syndrome is caused by a defect in a specific gene known as FGFR2 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 2). It is not clear what causes this gene to mutate. Some may be inherited from parents' genes.

Treatment

There is no cure for Crouzon syndrome. Currently, many of the symptoms can be treated with surgery.

Treatment may include:

Surgery

There are a number of surgeries used to treat the symptoms of Crouzon syndrome. These include:

Craniectomy—Removal and replacement of portions of the skull. Done as early as possible after birth to prevent damage to the brain. It will also help to
maintain a skull shape that is as normal as possible.

Surgery to treat protrusion of one or both eyeballs—Adjustments are made to the bones surrounding the eye sockets.

Surgery to treat protruding lower jaw—To normalize the appearance of the jaw.

Surgery to repair a cleft palate.

Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment can help correct the alignment of teeth. It may include braces.

Eye and Ear Treatment

Specialists should monitor infants and children with Crouzon syndrome. They can check for eye and ear problems and treat them as necessary.

Supportive Treatment

Children with a mental deficiency or intellectual disability may need special education help.

Prevention

There is no known way to prevent Crouzon syndrome. If you have Crouzon syndrome or have a family history of the disorder, you can talk to a genetic counselor when deciding to have children.

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